Next week Thompson Rivers University plays host to the Sharing Mathematics, A Tribute to Dr. Jim Totten conference, May 13 – 15. The public and media are invited to attend Wednesday’s keynote address, Mathematical Musing: Wonder, Elegance, and Beauty of Numbers in the Alumni Theatre at 4:30 pm in the Alumni Theatre of the Clock Tower.
“The conference is a chance for the many people that worked with Jim and knew him to come together and share our passion for math,” said Dr. Rick Brewster, Associate Professor.
Dr. John Grant McLoughlin, the keynote speaker, from the University of New Brunswick shared Jim Totten’s passion for math.
“My connection to Jim Totten began through our common interests in mathematical outreach and problem solving Subsequently Jim shared some of his mathematical puzzle collection as a guest in my math education class while attending a conference in St. John’s, NL,” said McLouglin. “The mutual respect grew via collaborations, occasional meetings and many conversations during our time together on the editorial board of CRUX, a problem solving journal edited by Jim from 2003-2008.”
Totten came to TRU (then Cariboo College) in 1979 from St. Mary’s University in Halifax. “For his entire career here he would post a weekly math puzzle on the bulletin board outside of the math labs,” Brewster said. “Can you imagine how hard it would be to give an interesting math puzzle every week for 28 years? He never reused any–only recycling some of his favorites in his last year of teaching”
Throughout his career Dr. Totten reached out to the local elementary and high schools with puzzles and problemsHe is credited with expanding the local high school math contest to a provincial wide event that has been running for 37 years. Twelve schools from school districts 73 and 27 will be participating with an expected 75 students and 10-15 teachers on campus May 8 for the contest and planned plenary speakers.
DrTotten retired in 2007 and was named TRU Professor Emeritus in June of that year. He passed away suddenly in the spring of 2008. For more details on the conference check out the website: www.tru.ca/sharingmath.
Contact: Rick Brewster, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, (p) 250-828-5215
